Chris Guillebeau quotes: here’s what you need to know from author, podcaster, and travel hacker, Chris Guillebeau.
“Everyone says, ‘Don’t settle.’ But sometimes in life you have to accept and let go. Knowing when to let go and when to fight is the real challenge.”
“Here are eight questions to measure your life: (1) Are you happy? (2) Do you like your daily routine? (3) How much time do you spend doing something you enjoy? (4) Who are the good people in your life — and do you spend enough time with them? (5) What do you need to change? (6) Do you need to make any big decisions? (7) What are you doing for others? (8) What comes next?”
“You don’t have to know your life purpose when you’re 20, or even when you’re 30 or 40 or 60.”
“Embracing new things often requires us to embrace our fears, however trivial they may seem. You deal with fear not by pretending it doesn’t exist, but by refusing to give it decision-making authority.”
“You don’t have to live your life the way other people expect you to.”
“If plan A fails, remember there are 25 more letters.”
“To truly live without regrets, pay attention. Ask yourself hard questions and see where they lead. Do I really want this job? Is this relationship right for me? If I could do anything, would it be what I’m doing today or something different?”
“If your friends don’t believe in your dream… maybe you need new friends.”
“Instead of reflecting on the past, predict the future.”
“In the long-term, security comes from an asset you create or acquire, not a position in someone else’s asset.”
“If you’re worried about life-work balance, something is probably wrong with your life or your work. Instead of agonizing over balance, get excited and create change.”
“The best time to start was last year. Failing that, today will do.”
“Always revisit your decisions in the light of new knowledge and information. Don’t be afraid to change.”
“If consensus is overrated, I think balance is, too. I have no interest in living a balanced life. I want a life of adventure.”
“We often feel paralyzed by choice and make no choice. But the thing is, no choice is a choice. If you’re not doing something about it, you’re doing something about it.”
“Your possibilities are unlimited, but it all begins with the deliberate choice to think differently.”
“Never despise small beginnings, and don’t belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing. When you venture outside your comfort zone, wherever the starting point may be, it’s kind of a big deal.”
“Be proud of being the black sheep. If everyone agrees with you, you’re probably not being bold enough.”
“Just because someone speaks loudly doesn’t mean they have anything to say. Remember this when you hear overpowering voices, or when no one presents an argument that opposes the consensus opinion.”
“Say yes to everything you’re excited about or afraid of.”
“Let’s embrace more of life, not less. Balanced people don’t change the world, and I’d rather spend my time feeling worn out from meaningful activities and projects anyways.”
“Wherever you are in life, however old you are, begin thinking about every day as the first day of your life.”
“If you make your business about helping others, you’ll always have plenty of work.”
“At all stages of life people will offer you unsolicited lists of things you must do, be, or have. Most of the time you can nod your head, walk away, and ignore them.”
“It’s a lonely road for those of us who choose to be remarkable, and the path of convention can sometimes be appealing. That path is paved with safe lives, middle of the road monotony, and little chance of failure. But where’s the fun in being like everyone else out there?”
“Give yourself permission to do what you’ve always wanted.”
“Here are seven ways to improve your life every day: (1) Define success at the beginning of every day. (2) Do that thing that you’ve been putting off. (3) Check up on a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. (4) Increase your moments of short-term happiness. (5) Reflect regularly on these questions: ‘How do I feel right now?’ and ‘What do I want?’ (6) At the end of the day ask yourself, ‘Did today matter?’ (7) Before you go to bed decide what’s most important for tomorrow.”
“Never hope for it more than you work for it.”
“We must purposefully create a life of gratitude if we want to be fully alive.”
“Some people think self-employment is risky, but the real risk lies in deriving your security from an external source.”
“Why travel? Because the world was meant to be experienced, not imagined.”
“In the battle between planning and action, action wins.”
“Don’t try to be fearless or pretend you aren’t impacted by fear. Just try to prevent fear from making your decisions for you.”
“Don’t think innovation; think usefulness.”
“I know if I missed a day and nothing happened, then it would be much easier to miss another day. Pretty soon I wouldn’t have much of a schedule, and then I’d have less motivation. It’s a downward spiral that I want to avoid, so I keep the schedule sacred.”
“When you aren’t sure what to do next, make something or help someone.”
“I’d like to settle down in a place called everywhere.”
“The choices we make now affect the opportunities available in the future.”
“Unreasonable, unrealistic, and impractical — these are all words used to marginalize a person or idea that fails to conform with conventionally expected standards.”
“Courage comes through achievement, but also through the attempt itself.”
“Instead of convincing people who are opposed to your message, spend your time finding people who are already predisposed to it.”
“If you want to achieve the unimaginable, you start by imagining it.”
“Regret is what you should fear the most. If something is going to keep you awake at night, let it be the fear of not following your dream.”
“Often when we ask for advice, we don’t really want advice; we want someone to say, ‘That’s great! Go for it!'”
“If you can’t ‘see the world’ tomorrow, see your own town. You can always make discoveries no matter where you are.”
“When I first had the idea to go to every country in the world, I thought: ‘That’s totally crazy.’ But then I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so eventually I turned it into a quest… and I’m so glad I did.”
“Productivity is rarely an accident.”
“Beware of people in authority who discourage you from achieving the same status that they hold. Or actually, beware of people in authority who discourage you in general. ‘Beware’ doesn’t mean that something is negative every time. It just means ‘be aware.’ Pay attention and look for hidden agendas. Ask why. Find the answers for yourself.”
“Creativity rewards those who actively pursue it.”
“It’s better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than the top of one you don’t.”
For more millionaire quotes like Chris’s, I recommend reading anything MJ DeMarco puts out.
